Teach Secondary 13.8

F orest School and outdoor education have long been mainstays of early years and primary school education – but we shouldn’t be so quick to let outdoor education fall by the wayside once students transition to secondary school. There are a whole host of advantages to be had from continuing to offer older students access to outdoor activities, whether it’s improved wellbeing, or advances in their personal development and improved academic engagement. At Stephen Perse Cambridge, we’ve sought to leverage the unique outdoor spaces available to us both on-site and around our local community, and embed outdoor learning and the concept of eco-classrooms into the curriculum, right through to Sixth Form. Improvedwellbeing Acknowledging the well- established links between the great outdoors and positive wellbeing is one of the simplest ways in which schools can support students’ overall mental health during the more academically demanding years they’ll experience at school. Many of our GCSE and A Level students often tell us that outdoor trips and residentials have enabled them to get some much- needed time away from the pressures of the classroom, impending exams and homework demands. There are, however, some students who might worry about taking time out of their studies to participate in The long-term view JennyMcLeod on why secondary schools can learn a thing or two from the primary phase when it comes to the benefits and practicalities of outdoor learning... such activities. Outdoor learning can present a good opportunity to show them howmaintaining a healthy balance between their personal and academic lives can be hugely beneficial – not just for their physical and mental wellbeing, but also their ability to study, and subsequent academic outcomes. Swapping pens and screens for nature will moreover enable them to return to their studies feeling invigorated and motivated. At Stephen Perse Cambridge, we encourage students to take up lifelong sports that they can take away with them and continue in later life. From badminton, to running and yoga classes, we aim to offer activities that students are muchmore likely to continue doing once they leave school and enter university or the wider world of work. Preparing for the future When students join secondary school, it’s important that they’re able to continue building on the skills and foundations they will have developed at primary school. Research fromThe Sutton Trust has shown that skills learned in co-curricular activities can be directly linked to improved educational and career outcomes later down the line. As the students get older, our outdoor tasks go beyond simply developing their leadership skills, and into building their resilience in face of challenge, and abilities to follow and listen to their peers – a lifelong skill that will be applicable to many different scenarios. For those sixth formers looking ahead to their future university and job prospects, outdoor challenges such as Duke of Edinburgh expeditions will provide themwith valuable opportunities to put into practice the team-building, resilience and problem solving skills they will have learnt, in real-world settings away from the classroom. Academic engagement Outdoor learning opens the door to many engaging cross-curricular opportunities. This might involve, for example, a pairing of biology and geographywhen undertaking a river study, or combining history with English literature on a visit to the trenches ofWWI. Art lessons can be taken outside, so that students are able to take inspiration from the sights to be found in local nature spots. Time spent outside has also been linked to improved concentration levels. Just taking short breaks away from desks can act as a refresher for children who might be struggling to concentrate during their lessons. With the secondary school curriculum becoming ever more exam-based, getting out and about can see to it that schools are still meeting the needs of, and engaging with different types of learners. The hands-on application of learning that takes place during outdoor experiments and other such projects can be hugely beneficial for some students’ understanding of a topic. That said, taking learning outside can ultimately help all learners to build a better understanding of how far-reaching, topical issues such as climate change and sustainability are impacting their immediate surroundings. “Swappingpens and screens fornaturewill enable themto return to their studies feeling invigorated” 28 teachwire.net/secondary